Intentions
by GrandpasGuitars
Summary: She knew better than to trust Loki, but what he promised was too much to resist. Pre-Thor.


"Why do we allow him to get into such a state?"

"Who are we to deny a man his simple pleasures?"

Hogun was long gone; Fandral offered a half-hearted excuse to escape his duties as a friend. Volstagg was suspended between Thor and Sif, an arm around each of their necks. He was dead weight between them. His head was bent forward, auburn locks distorting his face. Volstagg's feet dragged against the floor.

"Simple?" Sif scoffed, looking at him. That kind of state was beyond what was honorable, particularly for a warrior with as much responsibility as he.

"Volstagg destroyed more men than both you and I today. He has earned himself a reprieve."

"And when the throne is yours and we stand at your right hand, will such states befit the Lion of Asgard?"

"Until we reach that day…" Volstagg stumbled, his weight making Sif's shoulders falter, and Thor stopped to stabilize them. Arms around Volstagg, Thor looked to her with a wide smile. "We shall forgive a minor misstep."

Sif wondered when the day would come that Thor's easy grin would not illicit one of her own. "If you say so, your _majesty_."

"I do." Thor took on his weight while Sif pushed her shoulder against his door. She kicked it, making it speed its path, before leading Volstagg and Thor inside. There was an attempt to put him down gently, but Volstagg fell out of Thor's hands, his hand slapping against the footboard with a thud, bouncing back up. Sif covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.

"Do you mean to murder him?"

"He… will not notice." Thor would not look at her, cheeks pink. Instead, he grabbed Volstagg's legs, which were dangling off the bed, and carefully laying Volstagg down onto the bed. She snickered and put her hand on his back, leading him out of the room. So as not to wake the other man, she grabbed the ringed handle, pulling it toward her slowly.

"One would not call you gentle, but even that was a bit oafish for you." Still Thor would not look at her, and this time he didn't even have a response. "Thor. Truly, he will not know that you hurt his _hand_." Sif's hand rubbed up Thor's back to his shoulder, squeezing. "He shall be more grateful to wake up in a bed than in the hall."

With a nod of his head, Thor looked up. "I should retire for the night."

"Come now. I'm sure Fandral has failed a suit or two and could use some encouragement."

"The Allfather will not take kindly to my appearance tomorrow should I stay out longer." Thor slapped his hand against her back. "Give Fandral my condolences."

Sif stood by Volstagg's door, watching Thor's back as he went toward his own room. She cleared her throat, unable to keep her eyes from going down his figure, from his blonde hair down his cloak to his boots. She sees him far more often in his armor, and prefers him in it, yet seeing him at leisure always made her stop for a moment.

"You needn't worry yourself, we are all lost in these matters." Sif whipped around, a groan when she saw the younger prince. Sif had grown up with Loki, as she had with Thor, yet his nature was always off putting. There was no honor to be found in the shadows, yet that was where Loki preferred to dwell. She never could understand how the prince seemed to lack even the smallest bit of Asgard and its principles in his veins.

"Why are you lurking about?"

"Lurking? I so happened to come this way just in time to see my brother retreat." He walked closer, and Sif kept her eyes on his, not moving from her spot. "When did he grow responsible?"

"You always had a hard time crediting Thor."

"Whereas many allot him his _fair _share?"

Sif's eyes narrowed, her arms crossing. Had anyone other than the prince intimated what Loki had, she would've drawn her weapon. "What do you want?"

"Must you always treat me with such suspicion?" Upon seeing Sif's glare, Loki let out a laugh. "I'm only here to offer some advice. It must pain you so that Thor so often misses the obvious."

"I don't understand."

"Thor may be oblivious, but everyone else can read your intentions."

"I have no…"

"And what if I told you Thor returned them?" Sif's mouth opened but not a word came out. She looked instead into Loki's eyes, trying to find the falsehood. As if he read her mind, Loki lifted his chin, eyes never wavering from the glance. "And that I can prove it?"

"Prove what?"

"Thor's _intentions _towards you." Sif scoffed, finally breaking the glare. "You don't believe me?"

"I will not be messed with." Her tone seemed to amuse Loki, which only made her raise her voice higher, "I know you, trickster, and I am not here to play into one of your little games."

"This is no game." His smile suggested otherwise. "Perhaps I only seek to bring together my oldest friend and my dearest brother. I know you have imagined standing by his side off the battlefield as well as on it."

"Thor is my friend and my prince," Sif announced each word.

"If the words do not sway me, they may well convince you." Her fists clenched and unclenched at his mocking smile. He was _laughing _at her. Loki touched her shoulder, a squeeze. As if he were trying to replicate her own closeness with Thor. She watched him start to walk away, and before she could help it, the words came out.

"How do you plan to prove it?"

Loki turned, putting a hand to his face. "I thought you weren't going to play my game."

"How do you plan to prove it?"

The space around Loki seemed to shake, distort, and suddenly, Sif was staring into a mirror. A mocking mirror. Loki was wearing her gown, down to the same brooches on his shoulders. His hair turned her brown, styled in the same crown of hair braided above his ears. Sif searched for an error in his illusion, but he seemed to have her, even to the complicated design at the hem of her gown. "Come see."

It took a moment before her legs followed, not meeting Loki's speed. She looked from side to side, looking for anyone who may question the appearance of two Lady Sifs.

"We will not be found." Loki did not even turn around.

"What makes you so sure?" She whispered.

"We will not be found." Once they reached the hall, Loki halted Sif with a gesture. "You wait here." Seeing that smirk on her own lips made her nostrils flare, her lips purse together. Loki's methods were so foreign; he had a talent for the shameful. She could not imagine carrying that sense of undue superiority and entitlement, as if Loki had not been given every advantage to earn the things he wished for.

She stood at the wall, and forced herself to look over it when she heard the booming knock. There was Thor, his robe haphazardly thrown on. The cord was hanging loose, the knot down by his knees, allowing Loki and her to glimpse at the skin beneath. And for a moment, Sif knew the look on Loki's—on _her_—face exactly. It was the one she checked mirrors, shields, water for to make sure she wasn't sporting. And there it was, drinking in Thor's form.

"I apologize for my state." Thor pulled his robe in closer, fixing the cord so it held the cloth in place. "What?"

"I needed to talk to you."

"Need it be discussed at this moment? I can visit you in the morning…"

"I cannot wait another moment."

Sif had to clap her hand over her mouth, watching Loki flirt with Thor. She was sure she would make a sound otherwise. Thor raised an eyebrow, before looking around. Sif's back hit the wall hard, twisting to conceal herself from Thor's gaze. "Should I put on my armor?"

"I pray you don't try to conceal yourself further." Thor's head flinched back, looking over Loki. Over _her_. Sif wondered how Thor must think of her now, so forward.

"Sif, I…"

Sif bit her lip not to make a sound as her doppelganger leaned up, pressing his lips to Thor's. Loki pulled at Thor's robe, yanking him closer, once again baring him. The things she thought about on particularly lonely nights in her room, and she could only watch as someone else—Thor's _brother_, no less—got to enjoy it. She wondered what enjoyment Loki got from this, whether it was playing with her or Thor that tantalized him more.

"Sif." Thor's hand pressed into Loki's shoulder, pressing him away. "Sif, I am truly flattered, but I would never compromise your honor in such a way."

"No one need know, Thor," Loki pleaded, the words in Sif's voice but it never sounded more strange to her, "I can join you in your chambers and no one would know what had transpired. No one but you and I."

"Sif, you will be courted by the greatest men in the kingdom. And the man who shall make you his wife… that should be the man you retire with. Not me."

"What if the man I should make my husband is in front of me?"

Sif lowered her head, hearing feelings she kept so close to herself spoken by Loki of all people. To Thor. She shook for a moment, and then forced herself to stand still. She would not let this ruin her. She was already making up excuses to tell Thor tomorrow morning, things to make Thor agree to chalk this up to too much mead, or a silly joke.

"I love you dearly, Sif. But not in the way you speak." Sif looked around the corner, to see Thor put his hand on Loki's shoulder. "If you ask me, my lady, I shall forget this even happened."

"I'm sorry."

"You need not be."

Sif forced herself to breathe, in and out, as Thor said goodbye to Loki. Heard the door close, and within moments, Loki stood before her in his own form. He raised his arms, bowing his head. "What can I say, I guess I was wrong about Thor's intentions."

"What was your plan?"

"I'm sorry?"

Sif straightened her shoulders, looking into Loki's eyes. "You seemed so sure that Thor held feelings for me, so what was your plan? Did you hope to lead Thor on, leave him when he invited you into his chambers? That could very well have strained my relationship with him. Or did you have other hopes for my form? Where were _your _intentions?"

Loki grinned. "It is a good thing that Thor rejected you, then, isn't it? I did not have to worry about what to do next."

Loki started to walk away, and Sif stared at his back, fists clenching. "You expect me to believe the Trickster had no plans?"

"My lady, you may believe what you wish."


End file.
